West Ham vs Bayer Leverkusen betting tips, BuildABet, best bets and preview
Football betting tips: Europa League
2pts Bayer Leverkusen to win at evens (Betfred)
Bayer Leverkusen, more like Bayer 'Nerverlusen' - amiright. No but seriously, this Leverkusen side is incredible and are set for a historic treble, remaining unbeaten across all competitions this season in the process.
That's the Frank Lampard-ism out of the way, now onto the serious stuff. Leverkusen were a club in the relegation zone last season before Xabi Alonso arrived, and last weekend they clinched their first ever Bundesliga title, in Alonso's first full season as a manager no less.
They are in the DFB Pokal final and are the 5/4 favourites to win the Europa League after the first legs. Bayer are 2-0 up after a dominant display against West Ham in Germany, meaning the Hammers have it all to do against one of the best sides on the continent this season.
It seems an incredibly tall order for a side who's form and performances has nosedived of late to overturn such a deficit against such an opponent.
What are the best bets?
Simply put, West Ham are no where near the same level as this Leverkusen team. We saw as much in the first leg, where the Germans won the xG battle 2.41 - 0.20 and limited David Moyes' side to just a single shot across an entire 90 minutes.
There is no reason why we shouldn't see a similar level of dominance at the London Stadium, for four reasons;
One, West Ham are simply not very good. Defensively they are abysmal, ranking third worst in the Premier League this season according to expected goals against (xGA), shipping 1.96 per game.
Two, the Hammers will be without Lucas Paqueta who is suspended for this game after picking up a yellow in Germany, while Jarrod Bowen is also a doubt. That's their two biggest attacking threats.
Three, Leverkusen are an incredibly tough nut to crack, even away from home, shipping 16 goals across 21 away games in all competitions.
Four, despite winning the title in emphatic fashion at the weekend, hammering Werder Bremen 5-0, Leverkusen actually rotated, resting six players ahead of this second leg.
All of this means LEVERKUSEN TO WIN is a bet at even money.
Amid the title celebrations, many of the players were stating that the league success was only the beginning, meaning we shouldn't expect them to take their foot off the gas as they bid for a treble, and bid to remain unbeaten over the entire season.
BuildABet @ 11/1
- Bayer Leverkusen to win
- Florian Wirtz to score anytime
- Florian Wirtz 1+ assist
Florian Wirtz was one of the players rested at the weekend for Bayer Leverkusen, starting on the bench, but he came on at half-time and bagged a hat-trick.
The young German has been utterly sensational this season, and has been in red-hot goalscoring form of late, netting nine times in his last nine appearances for Bayer.
In 11 games prior he provided eight assists, showing how much of a threat he is to both score and provide. In a game where West Ham have to play on the front foot he should get ample space and be a nightmare to defend on the counter attack.
Team news
West Ham look set to be without Kalvin Phillips, Alphonse Areola and Jarrod Bowen, with the latter fighting hard to make the starting XI.
Both Lucas Paqueta and Emerson Palmieri are suspended after picking up yellows in the first leg.
Leverkusen are set to be without only striker Adam Hlozek, with the main question being who is going to start between Victor Boniface and Patrik Schick.
Predicted line-ups
West Ham: Fabianski; Zouma, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Coufal, Alvarez, Soucek, Ward-Prowse, Johnson; Kudus, Antonio
Bayer Leverkusen: Hradecky; Kossounou, Tah, Stanisic; Frimpong, Xhaka, Palacios, Grimaldo; Wirtz, Adli; Boniface
Odds correct at 1050 BST (15/04/24)
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